An historic step for Sinn Fein
International Viewpoint 24 November 1986
The Provisionals, however, turned to radical ideas and political forms of action out of their own experience. When the armed struggle became isolated, by the mid-1970's if not earlier, they turned to mass action to defend imprisoned Republicans threatened with very long sentences under inhuman conditions. Impelled by a hunger strike to the death of Republican prisoners, this movement became really massive and opened the way for the first successful Republican election campaigns in our time.
Now, with the dropping of absten-
RPG
*IVENUE
IRELAND tionism, this process of politicization has reached a new stage. The way this change has been carried out indicates
WE ARE ON OUR KNEE a high level of political maturity and skill of the leadership that has emerged from 18 years of violent struggle. This Republican leadership is the first in 60 years to succeed in making a political turn without a devastating split (at least so far).
THE GREAT ONLY
SPONSORED BA
"RADE UNION
GROUP
AR CREAT BECAUSE
Its political adeptness and principled approach in conducting a democratic and educative debate offer hope for new steps forward for the Irish revolu-